Condition of the nation (5)

I believe the answer is:

state

I believe this clue is a double definition.

'condition' is the first definition.
(I've seen this before)

'the nation?' is the second definition.
('state' can be a synonym of 'nation')

'of' acts as a link.

(Other definitions for state that I've seen before include "whole people" , "eg Rhode Island" , "eg Iowa" , "Condition - sovereign political power" , "Georgia < or Virginia" .)

I've seen this clue in The Globe and Mail and the Evening Standard.

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